Ebay Standard Shipping Envelope

[staceylynnekitchell]

It is not giving me the option for Ebay Standard Envelope.  

[wastingtime101]

Hey @staceylynnekitchell. eBay made an unannounced change related to setting up listings with certain types of packaging. When package dimensions entered exceed eBay's programmed dimensions, eBay will not show you those shipping options when setting up your listing.

To access these services, enter the following package dimensions:

USPS Flat Rate Envelopes: 12x9x1
USPS Small Flat Rate Box: 8x5x1
USPS Med Flat Rate Box: 11x8x6 or 14x12x3 (we don't yet have confirmation on the restrictions eBay applied)
USPS Large Flat Rate Box: 12x12x6
eBay Standard Envelope: 11x6x0.25

[dhbookds]

Try not entering any dimensions........First choosing the shipping service you want.........then putting in dimensions.......If you are using flat rate boxes from USPS, I don't think dimensions are even required for listings or mailing.........

[wastingtime101]

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@dhbookds wrote:

Try not entering any dimensions........First choosing the shipping service you want.........then putting in dimensions.......If you are using flat rate boxes from USPS, I don't think dimensions are even required for listings or mailing.........

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I both agree and disagree with you depending on the circumstances @dhbookds.

- For many sellers eBay will autofill suggested dimensions. For eBay Standard Envelope in particular, those dimensions exceed eBay's programmed restrictions. Makes a ton of sense, right?

The reason is because eBay autofills based on most commonly used dimensions (I'm pretty sure, at least) and most sellers rounded up on the dimensions. The problem is eBay's programmed restrictions rounded down. So 11.5" limit was commonly entered by sellers as 12". eBay is restricting to 11" yet the autofill is based on the commonly used 12" so sellers that never entered dimensions are blocked from those services until they change the dimensions.

- Second, for sellers that ship exclusively to domestic locations there is no problem leaving dimensions blank when using flat rates. But for sellers that ship internationally, or for sellers that use GSP/EIS/EISD, they need to enter dimensions otherwise there are problems which I won't get into right now as it takes us too far off the main topic.

So sellers shipping US-exclusively using flat rates or ESE they can get away with no dimensions on the listing form because the system does not currently count that as a required field. For those sellers that have suggestions prefilled by eBay they can delete them or they can edit them to something within the limits eBay advises.

This whole thing is needlessly complicated. Wish we were given an explanation as to why eBay made this change. If it's solving some kind of problem then why not tell us so we at least understand why they're throwing up these road blocks.

[dhbookds]

@wastingtime101 

As usual, you've presented a thorough explanation that I certainly accept......My original objective was to help people find the shipping method they wanted  which can apparently disappear  depending on the dimensions entered.   I shouldn't have added the advice to leave out the dimensions.  I don't ship internationally, so certainly don't have any expertise in that area. 

[staceylynnekitchell]

It Worked!!!  Thank you so much for your help.  It is so helpful when ebay does a unannounced change.

[wastingtime101]

Nah, you're fine D. Just wanted to give you a bigger picture as I thought the info might be helpful. 🙂

[tracys_nook]

Thank you!  Entering the dimensions 11x6x1 has been working for me in the app.  It was so frustrating!